Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Kathy
Brombacher’s swan song staging is a stunning feast for the eyes and ears

By
Donnie Matsuda

David Ellenstein as Tevye (foreground) in "Fiddler on the Roof." Photo by Ken Jacques.

Moonlight Artistic Director Kathy Brombacher
understandably has a special place in her heart for the timeless and tuneful
musical theatre classic, Fiddler on the
Roof.After all, it was the very
first full-scale musical she ever directed as a student at the University of
Redlands (many moons ago), and now, in a full-circle moment that only the
mystical theatre gods can dictate, she once again returns to the venerable
musical as her final show before stepping down as head honcho of the
Vista-based theatre company after 32 years of outstanding leadership.No doubt, it is a very important musical for
her, and this time around, she wants to make sure it is done right, with every
note, every step, and every aspect of the beautiful, intimate Russian village
of Anatevka perfectly in place.

Simply put, her careful attention to detail mostly pays
off here and her current staging of Fiddler
on the Roof – both visually and vocally stunning - is a “grand finale” that
she can be proud of.Working with a
top-notch creative team, which includes veteran Moonlight choreographer Carlos
Mendoza (who borrows judiciously from Jerome Robbins’ original dance sequences)
and veteran Moonlight Musical Director Elan McMahan (who elicits a large and
lush sound from her 11-piece orchestra), Brombacher does what she can to keep
the three hour long musical moving along at a brisk pace while still paying due
homage to the quirky characters and hummable musical numbers we all know and
love.

While her vision for this
production is more muted than any I’ve ever seen, it appears that it is her
intent to strip away the theatrical flourishes and instead focus on the real
characters and the everyday situations at the heart of the piece.Instead of playing up the acerbic Jewish wit
written into the piece, her cast delivers the many punch lines with a
naturalistic tendency that causes the humor in the piece to fall consistently
flat.But despite her watered-down
storytelling, one thing is for sure: Brombacher knows her space well and
manages to create some incredibly stunning and evocative pictures using her
large 39-member cast and a number of rustic set pieces (the compact and cozy
set is rented from Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre and fits well on the sprawling
amphitheatre stage) handsomely lit by Jean-Yves Tessier.

Victoria Strong as Golde and David Ellenstein as Tevye. Photo by Ken Jacques.

Based on a collection of stories by Yiddish author
Sholom Aleichem, the 1964 musical Fiddler
on the Roof combines the talents of three writers – Joseph Stein (book),
Jerry Bock (music), and Sheldon Harnick (lyrics) – and holds the distinction of
being Broadway’s fifteenth longest-running show in history.The original Broadway production was
nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning nine including Best Musical, Best Score,
Best Book, and Best Direction, and spawned four Broadway revivals as well as a
successful 1971 film adaptation.It has
enjoyed enduring international popularity largely thanks to its universal appeal
and it has been performed in more than 15 languages, in over 30 countries.

At the heart of the story is dairyman Tevye, his
wife Golde, and his five daughters who all struggle to keep their traditions
alive and their sanity in check amidst the caustic winds of change that threaten
to tear their family apart.But despite
the ongoing persecution by the Tsarist regime, the imminent threat of
revolution, and the concern that his daughters are falling in love and falling out
of their faith, Tevye manages to maintain grounded as he deals with each new
twist of fate with his characteristic warmth, humor, and humanity.

The "Fiddler on the Roof" Company. Photo by Ken Jacques.

Without a doubt, it takes a whole lot of chutzpah
for any actor to step into the workboots of America’s most iconic Jewish
milkman and David Ellenstein (esteemed Artistic Director of the Solana
Beach-based North Coast REP Theatre) is more than up to the task.While his singing and dancing are a bit rusty
here, he nonetheless manages to captivate the audience with his authentic charm
and his no-nonsense, down-to-earth sensibility.As his wife Golde, Victoria Strong simply shines.She’s a true triple threat, boasts a magnetic
presence on stage, and brings a lighter and more loveable touch to a role
that’s normally played with a nagging edge. Together, Ellenstein and Strong are unusually
laid back (certainly not cut from the same cloth as most Jewish parents) and
frequently at odds with their traditional roles as written in Stein’s banter-filled
book and Harnick’s prickly score.But,
then again, this is a musical about breaking with tradition and forging new
beginnings, right?

Even the girls playing the couple’s eldest three
daughters tend too much toward the vanilla.They are exceptionally strong singers, however, and they are Alexis
Grenier as Tzeitel, Charlene Koepf as Hodel, and Aubrey Elson as Chava.And among their men (intended or otherwise), Timothy
J. Allen is a ball of nervous energy as the mousy, timid tailor Motel, Jason
Webb is charismatic as the young revolutionary Perchik, and Eric Hellmers is
both gentle and graceful as the Russian suitor Fyedka.

The "Fiddler on the Roof" Company. Photo by Ken Jacques.

There are also some fine comic turns by Susan E. V.
Boland as matchmaker Yente, Ralph Johnson as town bookseller Avram, Jamie
Snyder as the butcher Lazar Wolf, and Danny Campbell as the Rabbi. And there is even a children’s cast of eight –
Noah Baird, Will Ellenstein, Hayden Kerzie, Hourie Klijian, Shea Starrs, Skylar
Starrs, Sloane Starrs, and Scarlett Strasberg - who are nicely worked into many
of the group scenes and musical numbers.

All in all, it’s a lot to rein in with a musical of
this magnitude, but Brombacher does an admirable job of making it all come
together as seamlessly as she can.With
her Fiddler, there may be a few
shortcomings to kvetch about and it may not be the most robust revival you’ve
ever seen, but it does boast some strong performances, a number of picture-perfect
moments, and serves as an appropriate “farewell” to one of the most legendary
leaders in the Moonlight Stage family.

Things
to know before you go: Fiddler on the Roof plays at
Moonlight Stage Production’s Amphitheatre through August 11, 2012.Running time is 3 hours with a 15 minute
intermission.Performances are
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8pm.Tickets are $15-$50.For more information or to purchase tickets,
call (760) 724-2110 or visit www.moonlightstage.com.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Professional
actors team up with students at The San Diego School of Creative and Performing
Arts to bring “Zoot Suit” back in a splashy (if a bit scattered) revival

By
Donnie Matsuda

Raul Cardona as El Pachuco. Photo credit: Daren Scott.

There’s a lot going on in San Diego REP’s 37th
Season opener, Zoot Suit.

First, there’s the concept of the “zoot suit” as an
iconic means of dress and the uniform of choice for Chicano gangs on the
streets of Los Angeles in the early 1940s. The colorful and outrageously patterned long
jackets, high-waisted and tightly belted pants, and short ties - all with
snazzy fedoras to match - are nicely re-created here by costume designer Mary
Larson.

Then, there’s the specific story
of the “Zoot Suiters” – a gang of twenty-one Mexican American men who were
tried and wrongly accused of killing a young Chicano boy in the infamous Sleepy
Lagoon Murder Trial of 1942. Here, their
story is told through the play’s central character, Henry Rayna (a compelling
Lakin Valdez, former artistic director of El Teatro Campesino) and three
featured men in his gang: Smiley Torres (Spencer Smith), Joey Castro (Steven
Lone), and Tommy Roberts (Kevin Koppman-Gue).

There are also some overarching thematic digs at the
sensationalized yet sympathetic nature of the media from a flashbulb happy
reporter named Press (an engaging Herbert Siguenza) and a passionate journalist
named Alice Bloomfield (a smart and savvy Jo Anne Glover) who becomes one of
Henry’s most ardent supporters both during and after the trial. And, of course, the play makes a mockery of
our American justice system in a few scenes that expose the circus-like
atmosphere, sleazy no-good lawyers, and ultimate injustice that are all too
common in courtrooms across our country.
All of this plays out amidst the backdrop of World War II, as the war in
the Pacific rages on and young people are dancing up a storm (thanks to the
frantic and frenzied stylings of choreographer Javier Velasco) amid the big
band beat of Latin jazz (delivered with plenty of pizzazz from music director
Bill Doyle and his nine-piece onstage band).

With so much going on, and so little of it grounded
in any sort of narrative framework, it is a miracle that director Kirsten
Brandt is able to make any sense of the madness that is Zoot Suit. An explosion of
powerful thematic arcs, a random mish-mash of roustabout characters, propulsive
and electrifying fantasy sequences interwoven with dance interludes, and a
bunch of slick technical wizardry (splashy sets, evocative lighting, and vibrant
projections designed by Brandt’s husband, David Lee Cuthbert) all seems like it
might be too much for one production to handle.
But, somehow Brandt is able to work her magic here and she does what she
can to organize and stage it all so that the nearly three hour production
powers through with plenty of style and plenty of sass.

The Company of "Zoot Suit." Photo credit: Daren Scott.

In the end, what we’re left with at the end of this
scattered and somewhat schizophrenic journey (which jarringly shifts back and
forth between staid book scenes and bursting-at-the-seams exuberant dance
breaks that come out of nowhere) is the look and feel of that mystical figure
of “El Pachuco,” personified to perfection by Raul Cardona, as he struts
downstage with his head up, his lips smugly pursed, and his hands in his
pockets, saying nary a word but saying so much about the suave, slick air that
characterized an entire subgroup of Latinos in America.

Things
to know before you go: ZOOT SUIT presented by San Diego
REP plays on the Lyceum Stage at Lyceum Theatre through August 12, 2012. Running time is 2 hours 50 minutes with one
15 minute intermission. Performances are
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm; performances are
also scheduled on selected Saturdays at 2pm and selected Sundays, Tuesday, and
Wednesdays at 7pm. Ticket prices are
$31-$57 with discounts available for groups, seniors, and military. For more information or to purchase tickets,
call (619) 544-1000 or visit www.sdrep.org.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

As
janitor turned singing sensation Bobby Dupree, Will Mann gets the airwaves
buzzing in the first national tour of that roof-raising, revolution-starting, rock
‘n’ roll musical MEMPHIS

By
Donnie Matsuda

Will Mann

This week, the touring cast of MEMPHIS will rock the
souls and touch the hearts of thousands of San Diegans, as the electrifying
tale of a white DJ falling in love with a thrilling black singer amid the
backdrop of the segregated 50’s returns to the city where it (almost) all
began. MEMPHIS had a workshop staging at
the La Jolla Playhouse back in 2008 and went on to Broadway in 2009 (directed
by La Jolla Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley), where it won the
2010 Tony Award for Best Musical. It is still
playing on the Great White Way, with plans to close on August 5th. Meanwhile, the first national tour has
already begun and it kicked off its run in October 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre
in (where else?) Memphis, TN. Now, the
tour finally makes its way back to San Diego and is being presented for a
limited six-day engagement at the San Diego Civic Theatre, courtesy of Broadway
San Diego.

Featured in the touring cast is Will Mann, who
reprises his Broadway role of humble janitor Bobby, who sings in the washroom until
he is given his big break on Huey Calhoun’s rock ‘n’ roll variety show. Mann is no stranger to the stage as he obtained
his Bachelor of Music from Oklahoma City University (studying under Florence
Birdwell) and has tackled a variety of roles on the regional circuit, such as
Coalhouse in RAGTIME, Jesus in GODSPELL, and Richie in A CHORUS LINE. Mann is also no stranger to the touring
circuit, having completed first national tours of both BILLY ELLIOT (Mr.
Braithwaithe & Big Davey) and WONDERFUL TOWN (Valenti). Recently, he took a break from his rigorous
touring schedule to answer my questions about how he got involved in musical
theatre, how he connects to the character of Bobby, and what message he hopes
audiences take away from the powerfully poignant musical, MEMPHIS.

Felicia
Boswell (Felicia), Rhett George (Gator), Bryan Fenkart (Huey), Will Mann
(Bobby) in the national tour of MEMPHIS. Photo by Paul Kolnik.

DONNIE:
Where did you grow up?

WILL: I grew up in Southern California, born in LA
County, but was raised in Ontario, California. During the middle of high school, my family
moved to Dallas, Texas where they still reside.

DONNIE:
How did you get involved in musical theatre? Any special mentor or role
models you admired?

WILL: When transferring to Duncanville High School
in Texas, I was required to take an art credit and took choir because of my background
in church. My choir teacher (Maria Green) required everyone audition for
the school musical. My senior year, I played Judd Fry in OKLAHOMA! and became
hooked on the stage.

DONNIE:
How did you get involved with MEMPHIS? Were you part of the workshop cast
when it was developed here at La Jolla Playhouse?

WILL: No, but I was in the final callbacks for it.
I auditioned for MEMPHIS for about 2.5 years before I actually booked it.

DONNIE:
How would you describe the character you play, Bobby? Are there specific
aspects of his character that you relate to?

WILL: Bobby is the mediator. He naturally puts
himself in the middle to stop conflict. I'd say his joy is what is most
infectious about his character. He never misses an opportunity to laugh his
heart out, and I think that is what I admire most and relate to the most about
him.

DONNIE:
Since there’s no movie or book on which MEMPHIS is based, how did you prepare
for the show (historical research of the time and place, personal interviews,
documentaries)? And how was it working with director Christopher Ashley
to bring this story to stage life?

WILL: My parents lived this time in the South, and I
feel like growing up I learned so much from them, not only about the racial
tension in the country but how music shaped a generation. I mimicked how
they talked and how they danced from a very small age. I'm known to a lot
of my friends as “the old man,” so I had a lot to draw on as far as portraying
someone from that time. Christopher
Ashley is a very smart man. I'm grateful to him because he let us be
ourselves. We brought our own energy to all of these characters and what
you see on stage is the combination of our work and not a replica of what
someone did before us. It is rare that directors let this happen with a
vehicle that has already proven so successful.

Felicia
Boswell in between her handsome co-stars Quentin Earl Darrington, Rhett
George, Bryan Fenkart, and Will Mann at the opening of the MEMPHIS
national tour in Memphis on October 16, 2011. Photo by Bruce Glikas.

DONNIE:
I understand this is not your first national tour. How does this tour
compare/contrast to the last time you toured the country with the company of
BILLY ELLIOT?

WILL: Well, it is very different. The 1st national tour of BILLY ELLIOT sat
down in Chicago for 11 months. I literally lived in Chicago for almost a
year and most of the cities on its contract were only 1 week long. I was
not at all prepared for the travel schedule. My featured parts in the
shows are a little more similar. I'm the big guy with surprise talents.
Only, in BILLY ELLIOT, it wasn't just dancing - I had to jump rope, tap
dance, and play the accordion on top of all the crazy dancing singing and
hilarity.

DONNIE:
And how does doing the tour version of MEMPHIS compare to doing the Broadway
production of the same show?

WILL: I think for me the biggest difference is the
comradery. I walked into the Broadway
company after they'd already been running for a year and a half and they'd
already built their relationships and had homes to go to after work, with real
lives. Don't get me wrong - I was welcomed whole heartedly and they were
some of the loveliest people in the world. But, with this [tour] group,
we started together and learned and grew as a unit. Not to mention when
on the road, you not only work together but you live together, too. You
don't have your spouse or your best friends here to run away with, so you
become really close with your coworkers.
Family bonds begin to form.

Will Mann at the opening of the MEMPHIS national tour. Photo by Haik Katsikian.

DONNIE:
There’s a lot to take away from this powerful and moving musical. What
message do you hope audiences take away from their time in MEMPHIS?

WILL: I hope people realize that what we see as
common place today, the things we assume should have always been accepted,
weren't so, and not that long ago. I hope it allows us to reflect on the
things that we find unacceptable today on a national or state wide scale. I want people to be entertained, but there is
also a strong argument for equality here and it still applies today, just with
different players.

Things
to know before you go: MEMPHIS presented by Broadway
San Diego plays at The San Diego Civic Theatre at 3rd and B Street
from July 24-29, 2012. Ticket prices
vary. For more information and to
purchase tickets, visit TicketMaster.com, call (888) 937-8995, or visit
www.BroadwaySD.com.

Saturday, July 21, 2012

David Ellenstein steps out of his artistic director shoes
and into the work boots of America’s most iconic milkman

By
Donnie Matsuda

It is perhaps no surprise that the
masterful musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF has stood the test of time.The beloved and poignant tale of a poor
Jewish milkman named Tevye who fights to maintain his family intact and his Jewish
religious traditions unscathed as the winds of change swirl about him is
perhaps as relevant as ever in our current times.But what
is surprising is that actor, director, and artistic director of North Coast
REP, David Ellenstein, has never tackled the role of the famed “Dairyman” – a role
which he seems born to play.Now, he
gets that chance, as he carries on the tradition of Tevye (a role his father
has played several times) and as he makes his debut on the Moonlight stage in
the company’s second show of its 32nd Summer Season.

David Ellenstein as Tevye in Moonlight Stage Production's "Fiddler on the Roof." Photo courtesy of Ken Jacques.

DONNIE: I was
surprised to see that you have not done FIDDLER (either as an actor or
director) before. Will this be your first time doing this show? And
will this be your first time working on the Moonlight stage?

DAVID: My first FIDDLER and my first time at
Moonlight. I have known the show since
childhood. My Dad appeared in it several
times and I have seen a number of productions. I am excited to take on "the
Dairyman" and to be debuting at Moonlight.

DONNIE: How does it
feel being back on the “performing” side of things? Is it hard to step
out of your directing shoes and be back on stage?

DAVID:I have been getting back on stage about once
a year (MY NAME IS ASHER LEV and TALLEY'S FOLLY most recently at North Coast
Rep.)

It is very good for me as a theatre
artist to go through the actor’s
process. It makes me a better director,
a better theatre person, and a more compassionate theatre employer. When one takes on a large role like this you
must trust your director and not try to impose on that side. Acting requires a full commitment of being and
there really isn't room for the "visionary" or the “critic” if you
are fully inhabiting a role.

David Ellenstein as Tevye. Photo courtesy of Ken Jacques.

DONNIE: What aspect
of Tevye’s character do you most identify with?

DAVID:His big heart. His inability to be unjust or unkind to fellow
human beings. His ability to laugh at
himself and question everything. His
innate knowledge that nothing is black and white, but that we live in a world
that is ever changing and ever surprising. His ability to overcome unpleasantness and
forge on.

DONNIE:In what way
are you completely unlike the character you play?

DAVID:He is a manual laborer and
works extremely hard with his hands. I am an artist and run a theatre - the
physical nature of our two selves is very different. I grew up in an upper middle class home,
whereas Tevye comes from poverty.

DONNIE:What artistic
challenges do you face stepping into such an iconic role?

DAVID:Being true to the character and the
situation. Fulfilling what an audience
expects and desires from the role, but still being unique and personal in how
it is delivered.Being satisfying and
surprising at the same time for both the audience and myself. Knowing that the enduring impact of the
character is in its truth and trusting that.

DONNIE:In your
opinion, what is relevant about FIDDLER today?

DAVID:Our world is ever in flux and change. What is true today in absolute terms may not
be tomorrow. Our ability to adapt,
accept, and move on with shifting perspective and acceptance - and still have
room to dream and find joy in those we love and the world we live in.FIDDLER is filled with this universal truth
which is why it is a timeless show. Not
to mention how well written and structured it is. Great songs help, too.

Kathy
Brombacher first directed "Fiddler" as a student at the University of
Redlands early in her career and now it will be the last show she
directs as Artistic Director of Moonlight Stage Productions, a
Vista-based company which she founded 32 years ago. Photo courtesy of
North County Times.

DONNIE:How would you
describe Kathy Brombacher’s artistic vision for the show?

DAVID:Kathy wants to be true to the script, true to
the historical context, and true to the needs of her audience. She understands her space so well, and what
needs to be done to communicate this show properly in its confines. Her approach comes from a place of knowledge
of the material and a breadth of experience, but is allowing of input and ideas
from her artists. I am delighted to be
working with Kathy at the helm.

DONNIE:What are you
most looking forward to about Moonlight's production of FIDDLER?

DAVID:The joy of doing it. Inhabiting and sharing Tevye with the
audience. Bringing a bit of my Dad
onstage with me each night and knowing that my sons are taking it all in. Tradition!

Things
to know before you go: Fiddler on the Roof opens at
Moonlight Stage Production’s Amphitheatre on July 25 and runs through August 11,
2012.Performances are Wednesdays, Thursdays,
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8pm.Gates
open for picnicking and dining at 6:30pm.Tickets are $15-$50.For more
information or to purchase tickets, call (760) 724-2110 or visit
www.moonlightstage.com.

Monday, July 16, 2012

CASTING CONTROVERSY HEATS UP AT LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE, CRITICS ARE CALLING FOR PUBLIC APOLOGY

(July 20, 2012 San Diego, CA) -- Hundreds of community leaders, artists, and arts supporters are expected to attend a public panel on Sunday, July 22 at 3:45PM at the La Jolla Playhouse in response to the controversial casting of The Nightingale, a musical adaptation of a Hans Christian Anderson story set in feudal China. The majority of the cast is non-Asian.

The creative team behind La Jolla Playhouse’s
Page To Stage production of THE NIGHTINGALE, running July 10 - August 5
in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre (L-R): Duncan Sheik (Composer),
Moisés Kaufman (Director) and Steven Sater (Author and Lyricist); photo
by Dana Holliday.

The casting decision, explained by the show’s director Moises Kaufman as intentional and “multi-cultural,” has drawn sharp criticism. “This is a professional theater with a budget and access to any and every Asian American Actor in the country,” wrote Erin Quill, whose blog sparked national attention to theissue. “There are no Chinese people in a show set in China.”

Sunday’s public panel follows a private meeting between local arts leaders and the creative team of the La Jolla Playhouse earlier this week, during which an apology from the Playhouse was requested. Leaders of the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC), who will be in attendance at the Sunday panel, say, “The idea that a play that takes place in feudal China can be cast with only 2 Asian American actors out of a company of 12, with the lead role of the Chinese emperor played by a white actor, is in step with a long history of appropriation and misrepresentation of Asian people that has consistently denied Asian artists a voice in shaping how they are represented.”

According to the AAPAC, 1.5% of all new roles were given to Asian American actors in the last five seasons on Broadway.

Kimiko Glenn (center) with Steve Gunderson and
Matthew Patrick Davis in La Jolla Playhouse’s Page To Stage workshop
production of THE NIGHTINGALE; photo by Craig Schwartz.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

North
Coast REP pulls out all the stops in its tap-happy spoof of large and lavish
movie musicals of the 1930’s

By
Donnie Matsuda

Late in the second act of Dames at Sea, a young and impressionable chorus girl named Peggy
Sawyer (I mean “Ruby”) must take the place of the show-within-a-show’s leading
lady, Dorothy Brock (here named “Mona Kent”) after she falls and breaks her
ankle (or rather, back). As Ruby is
forced to learn all of the show’s scenes, songs and choreography in a matter of
hours, she’s told, “You’re going out on the poop deck a chorus girl, but you’ve
got to come back a star!”

With a line and concept ripped (nearly) verbatim
from the most tap-tacular of Broadway musicals, 42nd Street, it is clear that Dames at Sea exists merely to poke fun at the big, bold, tap-heavy tuners
of the 1930’s. And while it does an
adequate job of capturing, perhaps even mocking, the carefree innocence and
cheery optimism of the era, it doesn’t quite convey the spirit and savvy that
made those mega-musicals sing and dance in the hearts of millions of
theatre-goers in Depression-era America.
Perhaps part of the problem is the mediocre music by Jim Wise and the
barely there book and lyrics by George Haimsohn and Robin Miller. None of the shows fifteen musical numbers are
very memorable (even the title number falls a bit flat) and the characters,
while endearing and syrupy sweet, are so campy and cartoonish that they’re more
distracting than they are funny.

But thankfully, North Coast REP’s sprightly
production rises above the mediocre material and veteran director Rick Simas
does a bang up job of packaging the show’s silly seafaring shenanigans so that
they come across as fresh, fun, and fancy free as they possibly can. His top-notch, tap-tastic revival goes off
without a hitch and doesn’t miss a beat as it powers through countless showy
tap numbers with the command and buoyancy of the U.S. battleship on which it
takes place. And at the heart of his
production are six powerhouse performers who are not only impressive triple
threats, but ace tappers as well.

Sarah Errington as Ruby. Photo courtesy of Barron Henzel.

At the helm is Sarah Errington as the naïve yet
enthusiastic Ruby (a role that launched the career of Bernadette Peters back in
the 1968 Off-Broadway production).
Errington plays the bright eyed and bushy tailed ingénue to a tee and has
some powerful vocal and dancing chops to boot.
As her love interest, the singing, dancing, and song-writing sailor Dick
(don’t all sailors tap dance and write upbeat melodies on the turn of a dime?),
Jeffrey Scott Parsons is a joy to watch.
He has an effervescent charm and clean cut good looks that often belie
his incredibly impressive song and dance abilities.

Natalie Storrs (most recently seen as Rosemary in How to Succeed at the Welk) is a hoot as
Joan as she snaps her gum and taps her toes as only a Brooklyn-born moll
can. And as her love interest Lucky,
Luke Jacobs is innocent and sweet and the two of them play off each other
marvelously. Broadway veteran Roxane
Carrasco is outstanding as the broadly comedic and overly pompous leading lady
Mona Kent and Spencer Rowe is a standout as both Mr. Hennesey and The Captain.

The company of "Dames at Sea." Photo courtesy of Barron Henzel.

Choreographer Susan Jordan-DeLeon and Tap
Choreographer Lisa Hopkins (who recently choreographed Dames at Sea at The Colony Theatre in Burbank) have done incredible
work here, bringing the show’s large production numbers to life on what is
probably the narrowest of sets seen in recent NCR history (fortunately, set
designer Marty Burnett opens things up a bit with his splashy and spacious ship
deck in Act Two). As is to be expected,
the dancing stays true to the good old fashioned Broadway style of tap -
including paddle and rolls, wings, maxi fords, syncopated pullbacks, and time
steps a plenty – but it is performed with such precision and panache that it is
truly exciting to watch. The sailors
Dick and Lucky even get entrenched in a tap-off in the Act Two opener in which
they get to show off some fancy footwork that builds nicely into a full-cast show-stopping number.

So, while Dames
at Sea may be a more modest and muted version of the mega-musicals of the
1930’s, it still exists as a lovely (and at times charming) valentine to the
Busby Berkeley extravaganzas of the era.
And in the hands of a game and energetic cast, a stalwart director, and
of course, a couple of ace choreographers, NCR’s production sails high and
mighty in an exuberant revival. So get
your boarding pass now…it’s a nautical adventure you won’t want to miss!

Things
to know before you go: Dames at Sea plays at North Coast
Repertory Theatre through July 29, 2012.
Running time is 2 hours and 20 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Performances are Wednesdays at 7pm, Thursdays
– Saturdays at 8pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2pm and Sunday evenings at
7pm. Tickets are $32-$52 with discounts
available for students and military. For
more information or to purchase tickets, call (858) 481-1055 or visit
www.northcoastrep.org.

Sure, there are some staid and stagnant moments, a
couple of romantic relationships that are a few flames short of burning love, and
a handful of “did they really just say that?”
jokes, but overall, they are mostly forgettable “blonde moments” in a mostly
cute and charming musical. What
audiences will probably remember most about Legally Blonde, The Musical are its never-ending string of bright
and bubbly song and dance musical numbers, its solid cast of over-the-top
personalities played to perfection, and its intriguing-enough storyline that
bounds along over two and a half hours with plenty of sparkle and sass.

Emma Degerstedt and Company. Photo courtesy of Ken Jacques.

Actress Emma Degerstedt (herself a former UCLA
sorority girl) plays a very pert and perky Elle Woods, though she fortunately doesn’t
camp up the role with too much giddy girlish charm.Instead, her Elle remains surprisingly
grounded and it is not completely far-fetched that she would respond to her
boyfriend dumping her (a handsome and golden voiced Anthony Carillo) by
cleverly working her way into Harvard Law School and to the top of her class,
with some help from her friend and mentor Emmett (a scruffy, low-key Brandon
Joel Maier).But, it takes an entire
village to try and help this modern-day golden girl make good – or at least
graduate - and, fortunately for Elle, she’s got a lot of folks on her
side.Most notable are her gaggle of
sorority sisters turned Greek Chorus (a spunky and well harmonized trio of
Alexis Henderson, Tiana Okoye, and Stephanie Wolfe) and her hilarious,
scene-stealing hairdresser, Paulette (a Jersey-licious and appropriately
over-the-top Julie Cardia).

And amid a strong supporting ensemble, Jessica
Bernard as Elle’s rival Vivienne, strong voiced Cris O’Bryon as Professor
Callahan, Kim Zolozabal (last seen as Tracy in Moonlight’s 2011 production of “Hairspray”)
as lesbian law student Enid, and Jenn Simpson as Brooke are all standouts.Add to that two adorable and well-trained
pooches – Ness as Bruiser and Ali as Rufus – making several crowd-pleasing
cameo appearances, and you’ve got a cast that’s eager and energized to
entertain.

Brandon Joel Maier and Company. Photo courtesy of Ken Jacques.

Director and choreographer John Vaughan provides a
lot of zippy interludes to keep this girl-power glam-fest going strong and his
choreography, while not technically impressive, manages to delight with its
dizzying array of cheer-inspired formations and poses.His buoyant staging is further enhanced by
some spiffy and sparkly technical elements, which include many massive drops
and sliding set pieces rented from Chinchilla Theatrical Scenic, some splashy
wardrobe creations from Upland’s Theatre Company, and some colorful lighting
designed by Christina Munich.Music
Director Dr. Terry O’Donnell leads a nine piece orchestra through the tuneful
and mostly pleasant – though somewhat forgettable – score.

So, if you’re looking for a silly but solidly
entertaining musical, then get in touch with your inner valley girl, grab your
nearest blinged-out bag, and get thee to the Moonlight.Seriously, you’ll be, like, totally tickled
pink.

Things
to know before you go: Legally Blonde, The Musical plays
at Moonlight Stage Production’s Amphitheatre through July 14, 2012.Running time is 2 hours and 40 minutes with a
15 minute intermission.Performances are
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8pm.Tickets are $15-$50.For more information or to purchase tickets,
call (760) 724-2110 or visit www.moonlightstage.com.

About The Drama King

Dr. Donnie Matsuda recently moved to San Diego from the SF Bay Area. He earned his bachelor's degree in Human Biology from Stanford University, where he founded and served as editor-in-chief of the Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal. He went on to earn an M.D. from Stanford's School of Medicine and he has come to San Diego to start a new life and a new career path.
Donnie's love affair with the theatre began at the age of 8 when he started singing and dancing with Galena Street East Productions. Since then he has played many roles in the Bay Area theatre scene, including choreographer, assistant director, dance captain, tech director, propmaster, arts administrator, and of course, performer. He is enjoying his newest role as theatre critic and is excited to be part of the San Diego theatre community.
Feel free to contact Donnie via e-mail at: doctordonnie1@gmail.com